Memories of Tring

MY GRANDMOTHER

My grandmother was born in Tring in the late 1800s and was married in Tring Church on Christmas Day in 1909.  Her grandfather was a very peculiar character and had to be taken to the village pump for his weekly wash and he used to sit on the wall to jeer at  the churchgoers.  He was known as Grampy Rodwell.  Once a week free bread was given out and he always was the first in the queue and used to bag his loaf by poking the bread with his filthy hands.  I loved hearing stories about him.  My grandmother was in service and worked for The Roschilds as a cook.  She was, apparently, the first woman in Tring to ride a bike.  She came from a very large family and most of them married in Tring Church.  I have recently read "Lark Rise to Candleford" and it takes me back to sitting round my Aunt Em's table and hearing her daughters call her "Our Mum" and listening to them proudly chanting a childhood rhyme.  "Tring, Wing and Ivanhoe, saw three churches all in a row, take my shoes and stockings off, and jump over them."

Tring Parish Church

My brother Colin Lyall was christened in this beautiful church at the end of the summer of 1963. My parents, Val and Frank emmigrated to South Africa in 1967, with 3 small children. Robert (Rob) Jane and Colin. I wonder if anyone remembers us. We lived in Fantail Lane. My grandparents Kitty and Bob Lyall lived at the top of Chrischurch Road.  We would go to them after school while Mum was at work at the Co-op in Aylesbury. I would be interested to hear from anyone who knows us.
My email address is  alleyjay@gmail.com

Entertaining the Tring Christmas Shoppers with morris dancing

Tring hosts a lovely Christmas shopping evening each year when the High Street is decorated, the shop windows have illuminated Christmas displays and stay open late and the place is transformed into a fairyland of old-fashioned entertainment and street traders.  There are hot chestnut vendors, roundabouts, fairground organs, traction engines, musicians and dancers.

The lovely Whitethorn Morris dancers provided part of this entertainment along with their Whitethorn Band. The group is from Harrow but perform clog dances from the north-west of England to lively jigs and polkas played by the musicians.

The favourite spot to play and dance is the wide pavement in front of the church opposite the Rose and Crown. Handy for a traditional pint of beer while performing and also a lovely cup of coffee and mince pie provided by the welcoming vicar and helpers in the church afterwards. What lovely people! And its so nice to warm one's frozen fingers on a cold winter's night after I played my accordian for an hour or so in the chilly winter open air!  Its a well supported event with what must be thousands of folks thronging the streets enjoying the entertainments and spending their money in the local shops!

Very happy memories indeed and I do so hope that not only does the Christmas shopping evening tradition continue to thrive but that the lovely welcome from the church is maintained too!

Childhood memories of my Aunt Claire and Uncle Jim Webster

I used to spend happy holidays with my aunt and uncle and cousin Barry who have all now sadly died. They used to own the bakers shop, and I can remember the delicious smell of baked bread and being able to have sweets and pop while watching the TV at night.

Childhood memory

I was 14 years old when I spent holidays with my cousins Tony and Ivy Webster, they have now both died and I remember them with much love.